§ MR. COGAN (Wicklow, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will cause steps to be taken to recoup the county and borough councils from the local taxation account their rateable share of the sum of £37,030, which was voted to that account in the year 1900, as capitation grant for the maintenance of lunatics for the period of three months, from January 1st to April 1st, 1898.
MR. BRYCEThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension. No recoupment to county and borough councils is called for by the circumstances. In no year have the councils received less than a full twelve months' grant. The necessity for taking the Supplementary Vote of the year 1900 arose from a change in the financial year of local authorities, and the object of the Vote was merely to adjust accounts between the Parliamentary Vote and the local taxation account, as the hon. Member will see by referring to Parliamentary Paper No. 280 of July 17th, 1900.
§ MR. COGANasked whether the county and borough councils were not compelled to strike a rate for fifteen months in consequence of the change.
MR. BRYCEThat may be so, but the fact remains that all they can receive for public funds they have got.